Job Interviews

If you have gone through a telephone interview and successfully completed a one to one interview you should be feeling good! But what some employers introduce (sometimes unexpectedly) at the final stage of interviewing is a workshop day – where multiple candidates are invited to take part in a day of interviews.

This group interview is an opportunity for an employer to bring all of the potential candidates together and review all of their applications. Often an employer will do this to compare applications – if two candidates’ applications are very close, having them in a workshop together may enable the employer to make a decision.

What Do Workshops Involve?

Depending on the industry it can involve practical or written work. An employer will usually show all of the candidates around the premises and then introduce them to key members of staff. They may then give the group an activity to complete and will sit back and assess how the candidates deal with this. They may then conduct a final one to one interview at the end of the day and this may involve some curveball questions that you will need to think about.

Here are some tips if you’re attending a workshop interview:

Ensure you print out your CV template and take this with you. Just because an employer has met you already, it does not mean you should be complacent. Refresh their memory of how great your CV is!

Be punctual. Quite often these workshops will test punctuality and remember – you will be assessed against other candidates so ensure you are not late.

Greet everyone accordingly. Greet the employer and their staff well and ensure you stand out from the crowd.

Bring ideas. During your interview you will need to stand out from the rest. Having good ideas and ensuring you voice them will highlight you as a star candidate.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. It’s crucial you have a voice in these workshops – otherwise the other candidates will drown you out.

There is a thin line between being bossy and assertive. You need to be assertive but you don’t want to come across as being too dominating.

Workshop interviews are designed to compare candidates and an employer will be constantly assessing you throughout the day. Ensure you approach the day with the right attitude, ensure you take your most up to date CV and have fun – your attitude will stand out!

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